Results: Pangkama ba Ako o Panrelasyon?

Around three weeks ago I floated a survey on what people in my cyber community think of me based on how I look: pangkama ba ako o panrelasyon? The response was overwhelming it could put to shame the average voter turnout of the last presidential election (Hello Garci?). For details on how I came up with this silly survey, scroll down and read the entry Pangkama ba Ako o Panrelasyon?.

We’ve heard people talk about real beauty residing underneath the skin and so many are living testimonies to this. But we cannot deny that looks do most of the work when it comes to getting the attention of others. Most of the time, it’s the skin that decides whether anonymity becomes the status quo or otherwise. It’s how one looks that makes the first impression which, according to a study in Ireland in 2004*, has been validated as a strong determinant of the kind of relationship people will have with new acquaintances.

The role first impressions have in relationships is given more emphasis now as more and more people do most of their cruising on the net. The first impressions elicited by the pictures that people post on their personal sites in friendster or downelink or pic-link determine the future of, to the more seasoned cyber jocks, their sex life, and to the newbies, their love life. So I did the experiment to find out if my romantic life and sex life have a future in cyberspace. I got responses from personal friends and total strangers. Naturally, I had to invalidate the response from people who knew me personally to preserve the experiment’s assumption. Here are the results:

Forty seven percent (47%) said that I am panrelasyon or relationship-material.
Twenty seven percent (27%) said I am pangkama or a sex-object.
Thirteen percent (13%) said I am both.
The last thirteen percent (13%) said they cannot decide.

I think it is a relief that in these times of wanton anonymous sex made more convenient by the Internet, there are still people out there who prefer genuine relationships over carnal pleasures. There are still more people who believe that above good-looks or the lack of it, it’s what’s within that matters. And more importantly, for socially-awkward creatures like me, it is a blessing to know that cyberspace, with all the comforts of privacy and anonymity, may just indeed work wonders for our nonexistent love life.

Top Five in Two

Istorbo talaga ang trabaho sa pagboblog! To make up for my almost two weeks of silence, here are the top five things that happened to me during my days of toil and trouble:
1. I met this really awesome guy who I fondly call Botchok. He’s got to be the most thoughtful, caring, and generous person in the world. I hope we become really good friends. I just wish he feels the same way sans the things that he bugs me about every now and then (You know what I’m talking about big boy.).
2. I won another aerohiphop competition. I brought home a bag of Nova chips as prize. The misfortune is that my gym buddies gave me a new nickname because of that. They now call me SuperNova.
3. I bought myself a new iPod. I’ve been wanting to get a replacement for the one I lost two months ago. I got myself a 20G iPod photo. Neat. I named him juOn. He’s my new baby. He and I are now inseparable.
4. I was able to IRF 6 preschool textbooks. This explains why I have been scarce in aerohiphop classes in the last two weeks. I had to sacrifice some pleasure for work.
5. I finally got the time two Sundays ago to visit my grandmother in Bulacan. I wanted to be there because it was her birthday and it’s been a while since my last visit.
(Note: This list is not in any order of significance. I wrote them in the order that my brain cells filed them.)

Ang Tipo Kong Lalake

So what’s my type of guy? I know gym rats like me tend to be narcissistic—we get attracted to people of the same kind, i.e., the gym fit ones to other greek god-like men. But even before I started going to the gym, I’ve always been attracted to good-looking hunky men! Who wouldn’t? However, if you look at the scores (huh!) of men I’ve gone out with, very few of them fit my so-called idea of a perfect mate. Kaya ano nga ba ang tipo kong lalake? I don’t know the answer to that now. I can’t say no to good-looking gym-buff men but judging from the history of my love life (or sex-life for that matter), nothing’s better than the tender loving care of a sensitive and faithful man, regardless of how that man looks. Of course it would be like winning a lottery if I get both. But what are the chances? What I’m saying is that I don’t have an ideal man anymore. I’ve learned that the ideal man could be somebody. It could be your text mate who brought back the kilig in your life. Or the friend who starts noticing how your eyes sparkle. It could be that gym buddy who volunteers to spot you everyday. Or maybe that FX passenger you sat beside with this morning. It could be anybody. All you have to do is open your eyes and your heart. Be receptive. Do not hold back. Just you wait. He’ll come.

My Make-over Formula

My dear friend Mica and I were talking over YM right after lunch. She said she was feeling depressed lately. She has come to realize that it was because of how she looked. She asked me if I could help her do a make-over on her. She mentioned she was inspired by my ugly duckling story, how I overcame my physical inferiority and my success in maintaining the body that I have now. More than a physical make-over, I told her that what she more urgently needs is a change in outlook. She isn’t ugly. In fact, I think she’s one of the more alluring women that I know. She might be a little on the heavy side but that’s because she gave birth and everyone knows it’s natural. Amazing make-overs start from loving yourself. This can be the impetus for you to do even the most impossible things to make your body and your soul happy. If you love yourself, you will start taking care of your body by eating right and exercising. If you love yourself, you will stay away from habits that make your body and soul deteriorate. If you love yourself, you will strive to live a healthy lifestyle. Vanity is never a good reason to look and feel beautiful. It should be love. Love yourself dear. It will work wonders. Take it from an ugly duckling.

Pangkama ba Ako o Panrelasyon?

I’m taking a poll of how I strike people based on how I look. The inspiration to this strange idea was a slice of conversation I had with a friend a couple of nights over dinner. We were talking about a lot of things when our conversation led to blogging. He told me about this blog he found in his friend network. One of the more interesting things he read in that blog was an article where the guy wrote about a conversation he overheard in his office: the topic of guys being pangkama or panrelasyon. I’m seeking out that particular blog myself because it seems like a good read. So this idea came to me. I thought it would be fun (translation: a total ego booster) and disappointing (translation: a bubble burster) at the same time. Initially, I floated the topic to a few friends in the office but I thought they are not the perfect specimen for this experiment since they know me personally. What I want are raw impressions. These I will get only from people who do not know me. Kaya ano sa tingin nyo? Pangkama ba ako o panrelasyon? I’m excited to find out the results.

Ayoko ng Tira-Tira

You’re the perfect lover. He’s saving you for last. Namputsa! Ano sya tsokolate? Itatabi mo ang pinakamasarap tsaka mo kakainin pag natikman mo na lahat? Crap!

This is not my story. A friend tells me how his girl friend left her boyfriend of 6 years because of this crap. Considering the length of time they have spent together and all the emotional investment, hell even the material investment they have made on the relationship, the girl had every right to expect, perhaps even demand, for marriage, if not now, at least soon in the future. After all, 6 years should be long enough for a couple to figure out where they are heading. She confronted him and he gives her that she’s-perfect-but-I-have-a-whole-life-ahead-of-me-so-I’ll-get-back-to-you-when-I’m-ready crap. Naturally, she left him. She had no future with the guy. It hurt her to leave but it was the best and most practicable decision. She was being set aside for later. A later which is uncertain. Nobody deserves that. And certainly, nobody with self-respect would want leftovers or carrions. Sino nga ba naman ang may gusto ng tira-tira?

Right Here Waiting

Just when I thought I was fine, I receive a message from you a couple of weeks ago and I slide back to where I was when you left. I heard this song this morning and it says perfectly how I feel. This feeling doesn't mean anything though. I don't want it to mean anything but just me experiencing a few days of irrational behavior. I will be ok. Soon.

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I though would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' CrAzY

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' cRaZy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

Thank you for not texting back. I honestly appreciate that so much. I love you.